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Overcast Coffee shop finds new use for tips
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Instead, the bills and coins from generous customers are donated to a variety of breast cancer charities.
"We started doing it last October, and it's been amazing," said Kristin Alonge of her decision to donate tips to breast cancer research in October 2007. "We've raised almost $16,000 already."
When the coffee shop opened in March 2007, owners Mitch Alonge of Lynbrook - Kristin's father - and Michael DelGatto of Rockville Centre decided not to accept tips. "We didn't want customers to feel obligated to leave something," said Alonge, adding that his employees are paid well enough so that they don't need to depend on tips. His daughter said that customers get the same great service whether or not they throw change into a jar.
"A lot of our customers were giving us heat about it because they really like our staff," said Mitch. "They were starting to get mad at me because they wanted to do something."
"I thought, If people keep offering the money and we're not going to take it, why don't we ... put it towards something good?" said Kristin.
Her decision to donate the money to breast cancer charities was inspired by her mother, Patricia, whose breast cancer was diagnosed in 1992. Since the disease went into remission in 1998, she has been active in supporting charities. "It touches so many people that I'd love for them to find something," said Kristin, 22, who admits she lives in fear of developing the disease. "So that by the time my generation is where my parents are, they have something to help us."
The coffee shop donated a large sum of money to the 2008 Relay for Life in Lynbrook, Kristin said, as well as to a close family friend who was taking part in a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in California. Regardless of the event, all the money eventually makes its way to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.
Kookaburra may branch out to help other causes, however: Kristin hopes to use the money collected during the holiday season to help needy families through area churches. "We're still collecting for breast cancer, but I always tell customers I want to look at other charities as well," she said.
Her church, St. Raymond's in Lynbrook, has a Giving Tree in which poor children write what they want for Christmas and parishioners buy the gifts for them. Kristin said she is considering making donations to those kinds of causes as well.
"I think that it's just so commendable that these kids who work in here, no tips in that regard, and all the money they collect is for breast cancer," said Irene Vastola, a village resident and a Kookaburra devotee. "It's just fabulous!"
Another regular, Caron Lerner, said, "I think more businesses should do this kind of thing."
"That's how Kristin's mom has brought them up," said Mitch of his daughter and his son, Kevin. "No matter how tough things are, there's always somebody that's less fortunate that needs something, and that's nice for a young kid to have that kind of sense to try and help less fortunate people, and that makes me proud as a father."
Comments about this story?AMonti@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
"We started doing it last October, and it's been amazing," said Kristin Alonge of her decision to donate tips to breast cancer research in October 2007. "We've raised almost $16,000 already."
When the coffee shop opened in March 2007, owners Mitch Alonge of Lynbrook - Kristin's father - and Michael DelGatto of Rockville Centre decided not to accept tips. "We didn't want customers to feel obligated to leave something," said Alonge, adding that his employees are paid well enough so that they don't need to depend on tips. His daughter said that customers get the same great service whether or not they throw change into a jar.
"A lot of our customers were giving us heat about it because they really like our staff," said Mitch. "They were starting to get mad at me because they wanted to do something."
"I thought, If people keep offering the money and we're not going to take it, why don't we ... put it towards something good?" said Kristin.
The coffee shop donated a large sum of money to the 2008 Relay for Life in Lynbrook, Kristin said, as well as to a close family friend who was taking part in a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in California. Regardless of the event, all the money eventually makes its way to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.
Kookaburra may branch out to help other causes, however: Kristin hopes to use the money collected during the holiday season to help needy families through area churches. "We're still collecting for breast cancer, but I always tell customers I want to look at other charities as well," she said.
Her church, St. Raymond's in Lynbrook, has a Giving Tree in which poor children write what they want for Christmas and parishioners buy the gifts for them. Kristin said she is considering making donations to those kinds of causes as well.
"I think that it's just so commendable that these kids who work in here, no tips in that regard, and all the money they collect is for breast cancer," said Irene Vastola, a village resident and a Kookaburra devotee. "It's just fabulous!"
Another regular, Caron Lerner, said, "I think more businesses should do this kind of thing."
"That's how Kristin's mom has brought them up," said Mitch of his daughter and his son, Kevin. "No matter how tough things are, there's always somebody that's less fortunate that needs something, and that's nice for a young kid to have that kind of sense to try and help less fortunate people, and that makes me proud as a father."
Comments about this story?AMonti@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
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